


No Place Like Home

by mihaelkn



Category: Disney - All Media Types, Disney Fairies, Peter Pan (1953)
Genre: Angst, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-14
Updated: 2020-10-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:13:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27005629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mihaelkn/pseuds/mihaelkn
Summary: A fiverr commission I did a little while back.Based in the canon timeline of the movie, Zarina gets very sick after the festival and it's up to her friends to take care of her.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

How had she found herself here? At the mercy of a man she had thought to be her friend, captured and trapped by him, betrayed and lied to. It didn’t make sense. They had worked together, plotted together, this was their plan and they were supposed to go on to take the seas … together. 

But now, the man looking at her with a dark gleam in his eye, didn’t look like the man she knew at all, he looked evil, he looked like a villain. 

As she hang suspended over the water in the lantern he had imprisoned her in, her fears began to grow, but surely, surely he wouldn’t be so heartless as to toss her into the sea right? She wouldn’t survive, it would be a certain death.

A friend wouldn’t send another to their death, would they?

“Bon voyage, little captain.” He sneers and she begins falling.

“No! No! Please! James! No!!” Her small pleas cry through the air, followed by a scream of pure fear as she falls faster and faster from him. She shuts her eyes tightly, arms wrapping around her chest in a feeble attempt to comfort herself as she plummets to her watery death. 

His voice, how had he sounded so smug, so pleased with himself for betraying her, so uncaring? All this time, had she really been nothing to him? Just a tool, one insignificant little part of his big plan? Had they really not been …. friends? 

Friends …

What did that even mean?

She rests her head on her knees and wonders to herself, if she had done anything to deserve this.

She had done everything he had asked of her, infiltrated her old home to steal from them so he could succeed. Was she just as bad as him? Was she a villain too?

“No!” A determined voice calls out above her and she hears a distant buzz of fairy wings flying above her.

The water hits with a sudden shock that causes pain throughout her whole body; the pressure of the water immediately causing agony in her ears as she is sent flying to the top of the lantern, and then crashing down to the bottom. Her arms fall to her sides and she begins to accept her horrific fate. But then she begins to feel something, some kind of force begins to fight back against the pull of the sea and the lantern halts. 

“What?” She whispers to herself, opening her eyes for a moment to see herself submerged within the blue water, but, she was no longer falling. Definitely, there was definitely a force pulling her from the water and she flies to all corners of her container, trying to see what was trying to rescue her. Tink …

Her hands press against the glass as soon as she sees the tinker and she shouts, “Help! Please! Help!” She knew it was wrong, she didn’t deserve their help, she had betrayed them and yet looking into Tink’s eyes, she could see something there that gave her hope, that told her, her time was not over just yet. 

As Iridessa attempts to pull the lantern open she realises that Tink is not alone. She hears the water begin to gush into the lantern and through fear, pleas with her rescuers again. “Help me!” The Pixie Hollow fairies were working hard, Tink and Iridessa now kicking the latch, pulling it hard and working it open; there was no way they were going to let Zarina get harmed.

Just as the water began to rise enough to submerge her face, arms reach in and grab her out, flying her to the dry safety of the dock as her cage is dragged deep into the sea. 

Rosetta sits her down and as Silvermist makes an attempt to dry her off with her wings, she feels her heart slam in her chest. 

It had all happened so quickly and yet felt like a lifetime of fear. She can’t find the words to speak, not in that moment, all she could do was clutch her chest and listen to the distant cackle of her former friend sail off into the distance. 

“Are you okay?” Tink’s hand is on her shoulder and as she looks up, the blond pixie’s round face is all she can see. 

“You saved me …. Why?” She asks in disbelief, unsure if she really wants to know the answer. What if they had been acting on pure impulse? What if they had only rescued her to capture her? If James could turn on her, how could she know who to trust? She had already betrayed the pixies … why would they now choose to help her?

“Let’s just say, we’re offering you quarter.” Zarina blinks, unsure of how to process what was happening, yet, looking at the faces of the fairies she once knew, and seeing the sincerity that shon in their eyes, she can’t help but feel that maybe she wasn’t alone. 

A tear rolls down her cheek and she bows her head as she wipes it away. “I’m so sorry ….” It felt like a pathetic admission, but, she had to start somewhere, after all, these fairies had just saved her life. 

“They’re headed for the second star … if they make it past, we’ll never find them. The blue dust will be gone forever.” There was no guilt in her heart as she told them James’ plans, all she could feel was the drive to help the people who saved her, to undo the damage she had done in the past year, to start to make things right; after all, the pixies had given her life a second chance, she had no excuse not to make an attempt to redeem herself. 

“Then let’s stop them before they get there.” Vidia says with a wicked smirk to Tink who looks back to Zarina. “Captain.” The tinker fairy says, and in that moment, she knows she has their solidarity. 

As if given a new burst of energy, her body forgetting the shock it had endured in the water, at least for now, she stands, flying off towards the ship, leading the other fairies into a fierce battle with James and his crew. 

With their makeshift pirate gear they put up a fierce battle, Zarina deciding it her personal duty to take on James first hand, she was the one who brought him to the pixies, and she was the one who gave him the blue dust, this whole mistake was on her, and so she would take the brunt of the fight. 

That’s not to say the rest of her comrades didn’t put up a tough battle, or that she could have defeated the other pirates without them. Had Silvermist not been crafty enough to launch her barrel assault, if Rosetta had not taken charge of Crocky, and if Iridessa had not used the seaweed to hold the ship in place she wouldn’t have had her chance to corner James. 

However, her confidence had began to shake slightly when he continued to outsmart her. No matter how hard she had tried to retrieve the dust, every one of her efforts felt futile, and as the Second Star got closer and closer she felt like this may be a losing battle. 

Luck was not far behind her though, and as she had the chance to grab the blue speck of dust sitting on the beam between her and her former friend, she knew there was only one thing that would save her. Of course, her spontaneous plan was only made even more successful by Tink’s tide rising up and giving her the opportune moment to take back the blue dust, and watch with an albeit, slightly heavy heart, as he swam into the distance, being chased by that pesky little crocodile. 

Feeling a sense of immense pride as her and Tink rose to the other fairies with the dust capsule held high above their heads, she can’t help but smile at the sense of camaraderie the fight had given her, and so, as another show of her peace, she offers the capsule back to Tink, she knew it belonged in Pixie Hollow.

The pixies all turn to look at her, and offering a ceremonious bow to them all, she starts to think of her parting words. 

“Zarina ….” Tink begins. “We didn’t just come for the dust.” The pixies all offer her a warm smile and she hesitates, the disbelief clear on her face and without thinking she dashes over to them, feeling their warmth and love surround her as they all hug. 

The journey back to Pixie Hollow was wonderful, sitting on the high masts of the ship with Tink, listening to her stories of all the new and radical things she had created during the past year, and having her listen so attentively about her own adventures, really made her feel like no time had passed at all. 

“What about your dress?”

“Huh?”

“Your dress.” Tink repeated. “It’s still wet.” There was a small shadow of concern in her features, something that Zarina was not used to.

“Oh I’m sure it’s no big deal.” She smiles. “Up here anyway, it will dry in an instant!”

As they descend through the clouds, watching the sun fall beyond the horizon and the silhouette of the Hollow comes into view she feels something tickle in her throat. Nostalgia perhaps, or guilt, excitement or fear, or perhaps a combination of all four buzzed inside her as they approached her old home. She had been so caught up talking to Tink and taking in the beautiful views that had accompanied them along the way, she hadn’t given herself time to think about what reception she would be given upon returning. She had deserted them after all. 

There was no time to worry about it though, as they near the festival sight she tells Tink she has to fix the trouble she had caused at the festival, and instructs them all on how to use the dust to wake the spectators without harming them. 

The cheers from the crowd were no doubt encouraging as people began to notice the pirate ship but, being re-introduced to Queen Clarion was making her feel incredibly nervous. Tink had reassured her though, that no one would be hostile towards her, after all, she had helped them rescue the blue pixie dust, and no matter what she thought of herself, she was not a bad fairy and she had no reason to feel guilty. People had missed her, they cared about her, and they wanted her home.

The next thing she knew she had Fairy Gary whisking her into his arms and chuckling heartily in her ear, telling her how glad he was that she was home, and that he was so proud of her for discovering a new talent. 

The rest of the festival whisked by in a blur. She had been so pumped by the adrenaline and support from her fellow fairies, she didn’t give herself a moment to stop remember what had happened during the day. 

She had lost someone who she had believed to be her friend, betrayed him, stole from him, and returned home to a place she thought she would never see again, with a group of people she thought would never speak to her again. 

Nevertheless the show went by without a hitch, just as Tink had told her it would, and as she said her goodnights to the last fairy who had wanted to wish her well, she felt everything crash to a sudden stop. 

Silence lingered and followed her back to her home, which had thankfully stayed empty since her departure, and as she got closer and closer to it she felt her wings begin to get tired, so she decided to travel the rest of the way by foot, and luckily made it before nightfall. 

Closing her door behind her, as she enters she takes in a deep breath and smiles to herself, as quiet and empty as it felt inside, it felt so good to be back. 

She quickly lights some candles for herself and sets about getting herself ready for bed as she was feeling more than exhausted after the day’s excitement. She hangs her dress up, which was still quite damp despite all the flying she had been doing, and left the rest of her clothes to dry next to it.

Finding some of her old clothes, she picks out a comfortable sleep shirt and pulls it on. The thought of a warm bath sounded wonderful, but her fatigue was winning her over, and so she settled with washing her face and hands instead, brushing her hair out and then getting herself into bed; she could bathe in the morning, for now, all she wanted was sleep. 

As she lay there in the dark, she couldn’t help but notice how quiet and still her home was. Spending all that time on a ship with a crew of motley pirates had her accustomed to certain living conditions, but as she tries to get herself comfortable, she reminds herself that this was her real home, this was where she belonged; not on a noisy, swaying pirate ship. 

Considering how tired she felt, she thought that she would have fallen asleep easily, but she couldn’t seem to find a comfy spot to rest in, and no matter how much she tossed and turned, moved her pillows or hugged the covers close around her, there seemed to be a horrible chill that was making her shudder. It didn’t feel like a draft or and open window, but more like something inside her was making her tremble. 

Trying to be as optimistic as she could, she insists all she needs is another blanket, and wraps herself up in the biggest, fluffiest one she had, hoping that that will help her body rest. 

Unfortunately it didn’t work.

The rest of the night she spent moving about, kicking the covers off and then scrambling to have them back around her, every time she woke the moon had moved slightly across the sky and there didn’t seem to be anything at all that would help her relax.

As the very darkest part of night took to the sky, she manages to keep her eyes closed for more than half an hour. She thought she had been lucky enough to finally fall asleep, that was, until the dream started.

She opens her eyes to find that she is in a dark room, a complete black nothingness that seemed to expand all around her, and silence, silence that felt so loud it gave her a headache. She kneels, holding her arms over her ears when suddenly she is knocked off of her feet, a swaying momentum tilting her from side to side and a bright light comes shooting in, bright and nauseating, and she figures out where she is.

The ship. 

She was definitely on the ship but, as she stands, reaches her hands out, the lantern materialises around her, showing her that she is trapped inside it once again and she lets out a scream.

“No!!! James! James where are you? Let me out!! Help!!” But of course it was James that had locked her away in there, and as his face comes into view, grinning teeth, gleaming like a shark, she shudders and retreats back to a corner of the lantern. 

“Silly pixie.” He sneers. “Why would I help you? You are my prisoner. Hostage. You are nothing and worthless, I’ve got everything I need from you.” Everything surrounding them colours a deep blue and she can see the dust raining down from the ceiling.

“Why!” She yells. “Why are you doing this? Why did you do this to me?!” 

“Because I can! Because you were nothing but a strategy, a step to climb for me to achieve my goal.” Suddenly he has the lantern lifted in his hand so his nose is pressed against the glass. “You were my pawn, little pirate, and nothing more.”

“But!! But!! We were friends! We worked together!” A cold wind whips past her, making her shudder and tremble. 

“Friends? Pah! Never! I don’t have friends silly girl, only people who are useful to me, and people who are not.” She looks around and suddenly they are outside, he has her suspended over the sea once again, the water below looking black, threatening, like a deep bottomless pit of goo that would suck her in and never let her go. 

“Please! Please James!” She cries, ice cold tears falling over her cheeks and he laughs dastardly at her pleas. 

“Never!!” He shouts and again she is falling, spinning and crashing inside the lantern. The ringing in her ears comes back so loud and the pain seeps through her forehead into her nose. She can see the sky rising up around her and she can smell the bitter salt of the sea approach quicker and quicker. She tries her best to hold onto something, anything to keep her steady but all she can manage is to trip over her feet and fall inside her cage. 

“No!!! No!!!! No!!!!!” 

As soon as she hits the water she wakes, eyes wide and panicked. She sits up and looks around her, forgetting for a moment that she was safe in the Hollow and expecting to be aboard the ship with that monster. 

Morning, sunshine, soft noises from the animals outside and a warmth inside her little home that wasn’t quite reaching her bones. 

Her heart was pounding, head too, and she can’t help herself as she recoils in, knees to her chest and cries to herself over the loss of her friend. 

There was ache in her whole body, she could feel her nose was blocked and just as she goes to wipe her eyes she sneezes hard. “Oh no …” She mumbles, sure she needs a tissue now. 

With a small huff she heads towards her kitchen, knowing she had tissues in a cupboard somewhere, and figuring that a warm cup of tea might be a good idea as well. She really did feel cold, as if she could still feel the waves of the ocean lapping up around her, and with another sneeze, she is certain she’s got a cold. 

As she reaches the sink she frowns slightly, somehow it was tilted, entirely on it’s side in fact, and as she reaches out for the taps, they seemed to become upside down completely.

“Wh- What’s happening?” She asks woozily as her head hits the floor and she becomes unconscious.


	2. No Place Like Home

“What should we do?” Rosetta whispers.  
“The best thing for her is to stay here, it’ll probably cause her more stress to go to the hospital, and hopefully she’s not even that sick.” Silvermist frowns as she flies to the end of the bed. 

The pixies had come to visit Zarina during the afternoon to check that she was settling in okay, and had brought her some bread and cakes with jams and spreads to welcome her back home, so of course they were horrified when they poked their noses through the window and saw their friend lying face down on her kitchen floor.

“We gotta break the lock!” Fawn had said.  
“We can’t break her lock, that’s not fair.” Silvermist responded. “Well we can’t just leave her there! Look at her, she looks like a dead rat!”

“Fawn!” 

“Well it’s true.” She mumbled. 

“Tink, you think you can open it … without breakin’ anythin’?” Rosetta asked. The tinker fairy laughed humbly, hoping her skills would be able to diffuse the bickering between her friends. 

“I can try … I just need some sticks, thin ones, and a stone to sharpen them on!” It hadn’t taken long to find exactly what she had required and before long she is picking her friend’s lock to get the door open.

“Is this illegal?” Asks Iridessa.

“I think it would be more illegal to leave a dead friend on the floor.” Vidida answers. 

“She’s not dead!”

Luckily at that moment the door swung open and the pixies are flying to her side. 

“She’s not dead …” Tink tells the others, after checking Zarina’s pulse with two fingers. “Just unconscious.”

“Here.” Fawn hands her a damp cloth. Tink places it across the pirate’s forehead and waits. 

“Is she waking?” Iridessa frowns. 

“I’m not sure.”

“We should get her into her bed.” Vidia says, standing on the other side of the kitchen. “It’s just through here, I’m sure we can all carry her.” 

So that’s what they had done. 

Moving her into her bedroom was easy enough, although the tension in the air was making all of them feel extremely uneasy. None of them could figure out what the right thing to do would be. 

Eventually they decided that keeping Zarina in her home would be the best option, while Fawn would report to the medic pixies, and let them know what her symptoms were.

“Well what are they?” Vidia asks.

“Well she’s unconscious, and cold … really cold.” Rosetta says after tucking Zarina into bed. 

“Do you think this may have something to do with yesterday?” Tink asks her, looking more worried. 

“What do you mean?”

“Well … When we were flying back … on the ship, I noticed that her dress was still wet, the water, it seemed to be clinging to her, like it didn’t want to let her go, and she was shivering, I was sure of it. I asked her if she was feeling okay, and she said she was fine … and I guess she seemed it too but … after everything that happened yesterday, maybe she is ill, maybe the water has made her sick.” Tink frowns, looking down at her friend. 

She was so glad to have her back, elated, she had missed Zarina so much in the year at had passed, and never once felt annoyed or angry with her friend for what she had done. She couldn’t think badly about her, no matter how hard she tried, Zarina was her friend and she would always love her, just as friends should. 

“Hm. Maybe.” Rosetta conjures a bunch of posies into a small vase to put beside Zarina’s bed. “Maybe the water got into her bones … Not, literally of course. But if she is sad … if her heart is sad, all kinds of nasty things can cling to it.”

“You think her heart is sad?” Silvermist asks. 

“Who knows.” A silent beat passes between the group before Rosetta continues. “We should take shifts. Stay here and watch over her … wait until she wakes up and then ask her how she feels.” All of the pixies agreed that that was the best idea and so worked out who would watch over her, starting with Silvermist. 

The duty was easy enough, and as she spent time in the pixie’s house, she took a little while to help water her plants outside, dust everything and make the place look a little more homely. 

It felt good to help her out, Silvermist couldn’t imagine everything she had been through on the ship, although living out at sea didn’t sound all that terrible, and she knew that Zarina had been friends with the crew, she still had to think that being away from your real home for that long, and being around a bunch of smelly pirates, couldn’t have been that enjoyable. 

“I do hope you’re okay Zarina.” She whispers softly to her friend, and by the time the evening was approaching and Rosetta was returning to take over, Silvermist was feeling somewhat disheartened by the fact that the captain hadn’t made a move all day.

“I’m sure she’ll be fine Sil.” Rosetta comforts her. “Go, head home and get some rest, I’ll take it from here. The place looks lovely by the way.” She smiles.

“Thanks, I hope she likes what I’ve done.” She nods and yawns. “Good luck.” She says, making her way out. “Let us know if anything happens.” 

Rosetta agrees and makes herself comfy in the chair next to Zarina’s bed. Although she had told herself that she was prepared for anything, she could not have imagined the horror that came when Zarina bolted up in the middle of the night, screaming and clutching at the sheets in fear of drowning. 

It was true, she had been slipping in and out of consciousness, though for her it had felt like one long deep sleep, filled with dark thoughts and horrible nightmares. She had no idea that the other pixies had been in her house, let alone that they had helped her back to bed, or that they were now tending to her, so when she turns in her bed and sees Rosetta wide eyes and fearful next to her she couldn’t help but scream again. 

“Oh my goodness why are you here?! What’s going on!? Did you break in? Are you hear to rob me?!” She yells and thinking that she has the strength to spring to her feet she tries to jump up on her bed only to stumble and fall.

“Hey! Hey! Sweetie, you gotta take it easy. It’s me, Rosetta, I’m here to look after you.” She says, catching Zarina in her arms as she nearly tumbles off of her bed.

“Look after me? Why?” She asks, defensive. 

“Because you’re sick sugar.” She gives her a soft frown. “You’ve been sneezin’ and snifflin’ all night, and I’m sure you’ve got a fever. You’re running hot and cold like no one’s business and we didn’t figure takin’ you to the hospital would do much good. We all came by earlier to bring you some food and treats and found you knocked out in the kitchen.” She gives her a sympathetic smile. 

“I don’t understand.” Zarina shakes her head, utterly confused. Why would these fairies be helping her? Surely they’d done enough by letting her come back home, there was no reason why they would want to nurse her back to health, and anyway, she didn’t even feel that bad, a little cold perhaps, but, nothing she felt that needed any serious attention. 

“Don’t you worry your little head about it, just get back to sleep okay? Iridessa will be here when you wake up, so not to worry? Hear me?” She smiles again and Zarina nods, though still very confused.

She wanted to put up a fight, send this fairy out of her home and tell her to leave her alone, she didn’t deserve friends, she didn’t want them, she was a traitor and worthless, and had she been more coherent she may have been able to put up more of a protest, but just hearing the word sleep had made her feel drowsy again, so she complies, head hitting the pillow and falling back to sleep straight away.

The next thing she knows she is being woken up by the smell of freshly baked pastries. “I-Iridessa?” She calls out before sneezing. “Is that you?” The light fairy zooms in with her tray of baked goods.

“Oh hey! You’re awake. Fancy some breakfast? Here I got you some more tissues as I saw you were out.” She smiles and hands over a box of tissues and offers her a pastry. 

“Uhh … Sure …” She sits up and her head sways lightly. It still wasn’t making sense to her why all these fairies were in her house, trying to take care of her and she blinks in confusion as she takes a tissue for her nose and Iridessa begins talking to her again.

“This must be weird for you huh?”

“Yeah, to be honest, I … I don’t really know why all this is happening …” She says quietly, something echoing in the back her mind, twisting her stomach and pricking at the back of her eyes. 

You are nothing! Useless! Waste of space! I don’t need you, no one needs you! No one will ever need you!

“Hey! You okay? You uhh … You seemed to blank out there for a moment.”

“Huh? Yeah I … I think I just need more rest.”

“You sure … Maybe a bath will help …. Or-“

“Seriously.” Zarina snaps without meaning to. “I’m fine. I just want to sleep.” Feeling disheartened Iridessa nods and decides to leave the room. 

If she felt guilty for being mean, she couldn’t recognise it. It didn’t feel right having all these people … these … strangers in her house. 

They’re not your friends, no one will ever be friends with you. 

She turns away from the door, pulling the covers right up over her head and coughing quietly to herself as she falls back into her semi conscious slumber. 

The next morning as Fawn is leaving, handing over to Vidia who was to stay with Zarina until that evening, she wakes up momentarily, sure she can hear their voices coming from her kitchen.

“I don’t know … I’m worried though, all she does is sleep and sleep, and she keeps having those nightmares, we’ve all heard them. She tosses all over the bed and cries … it’s … it’s horrible.”

“Does anyone know why?” Vidia’s voice is lower than Fawn’s. 

“No. And we are all so worried, but, it’s nothing compared to Tink. She’s been coming in every day you know. She was here a late last night and almost refused to leave. I don’t think she is getting much sleep at the moment either … To be honest, I’m worried about both of them.” 

Zarina scoffs to herself, unable to believe what she was hearing, pulling the blankets tighter around her, feeling a shiver in her shoulders. 

“So silly.” She whispers to herself, closing her eyes quickly as she hears Vidia come into her room, pretending to be asleep to avoid any conversation. 

She didn’t want to talk to the pixies, she didn’t want them here, if she had any more strength she’d tell them to stop pretending to care about her, she would get up herself and prove to them that she was just fine, but alas, every time she thought about moving from her bed, sleep would drag her under again and she would be back with her nightmares and torment. 

The next disturbance comes from the sound of running water and a sharp pang of hunger in her stomach, distant memories of sticky buns being offered to her flit through her mind but are soon shaken away when she hears a soft voice speaking to her.

“Hey …. Zarina … It’s me …” Her eyes open and she peeks her nose over the top of the covers. The softest of smiles and warmest of eyes greet her.

“What are you doing under there?” A tinkle giggle from the tinker fairy. “I’ve got a bath going for you … if you like, Rosetta has made you special bath salts which should ease your muscles, can’t imagine it feels good being stuck in bed for all this time.”

There it was, again, a mention of one of those people who had tried to help her, who should back off, who should know better!“I don’t care Tink!” She sits up suddenly for what felt like the first time in a very long time, pushing the blankets away from her with a stern frown on her face. “I don’t care about all these people who are giving me cakes and flowers and cleaning my house and bringing me clean clothes! This isn’t what I want! They shouldn’t be bothering with me! I don’t even know them!”

“Zarina ….” Tink’s bright expression fades. 

When Zarina had told the fairies about James’ plans, she hadn’t felt any guilt or shame, but, for some reason, saying all those things out loud about the pixies who had been so tirelessly taking care of her for the past few days, made a bitter taste creep up the inside of her throat and soak into her tongue.

“Why would you say that? They’re your friends …”

“No! No they’re not! Why would they be? After everything I did!” The pained expression on Zarina’s face hurts Tink and it’s all she can do to stop herself from reaching over to her friend and giving her a tight hug to comfort and reassure her. 

“Because they’ve always been your friends, they love you, they care about you.” Cautiously she sits on the edge of Zarina’s bed, looking deep into her eyes so her friend can see that she means every word. 

“But look what I did! I put everyone in danger, my experiments were a sham and then I joined up with pirates! I tried to ruin the festival and-” She begins to feel herself get out of breath again and she shivers. 

“Here, don’t be cold.” Tink says, wrapping the blankets back around her friend. “Everything you did, we forgive you for, everyone has been here looking after you because we want to, do you really think we could force Vidia into anything?” Tink smiles and Zarina giggles a little, and so Tink moves closer to her side. 

“Everyone has been trying to ask me why I’m sick, but, I don’t know. It’s just a cold or something.” Another sneeze.

But if she is sad … if her heart is sad, all kinds of nasty things might cling to it. Tink remembers Rosetta’s words and takes her friend’s hand in hers. 

“You know, Zarina, if you’re sad, about anything, you can talk to me. I don’t mind what it is, if it helps … I’ll listen.”

Hesitantly Zarina bites her bottom lip. Could she really tell Tink how upsetting it was to be betrayed by James? Wouldn’t that make her even more of a traitor? “But what if-”

“No matter what.” Tink assures her.

Well, it was worth a shot. “Having James betray me, it felt so bad … and I feel so silly for even trying to trust him in the first place, he’s a pirate! Of course he wouldn’t be honest with me … he tricked me and fooled me and I believed that he actually cared … it’s … it’s made me not know who my real friends could be.” She looks to Tink.

“Anyone in the world would be lucky to have a friend like you Zarina. You’re kind, smart, brave … funny.” The tinker smiles. “I’m so sorry he hurt you, but, none of us will ever treat you like that. We are here for you, through it all.” Zarina smiles and feels a warmth spread from her heart throughout her body, and with one last shiver she leans forward and throws her arms around Tink.

“Thank you so much, I’m so lucky to have a friend like you.” She whispers into her ear. 

“Me too. Now how about a bath hey? You smell, well, you smell as bad as a pirate.” They both giggle and Zarina agrees. 

Still being a little shaky on her legs, Tink helps her to the bathroom and let her get undressed before helping her into the bath safely and showing her the beautiful bath salts that Rosetta had made for her. “Lavender will help you relax, it’s soothing, the rose petals are just for show.” She giggles. “I’ve left your towel here and I’ll go and warm some of those sticky buns up in the oven, okay?”

“Okay.” Zarina nods and watches her friend leave.

As she bathes she feels the heat from the water seep into her body and wash away any coldness left behind from her time at sea. She believed Tink, every word she had said. The tinker spoke with such earnest and honesty, she could see just by looking into her eyes that she meant every word, James had never looked at her like that. 

Sinking into the bubbles she gives a soft shake of her head. There was no need to think about him anymore. She was back home, back to safety, back to friendship.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!
> 
> my commissions are currently open via fiverr!
> 
> fiverr.com/mxthkn


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